(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of electronic information retrieval devices.
(2) Discussion of the Prior Art
The need for instantaneous translation between sets of intelligence symbols such as translation between two languages has long been recognized. Electronic computer controlled systems for accomplishing this objective are known but such prior art devices have failed to provide sufficient versatility and convenience. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,859 issued to Kyriakids discloses a portable electronic dictionary wherein the letters making up a word in one language are entered via a keyboard for decoding by a standard combinational logic resulting in the display of an equivalent word in another language. While the Kyriakides device is useful for the purpose disclosed, it suffers from a propensity to become confused. In particular, the Kyriakides device is designed to count the number of letters in the input and the number of times it detects each letter to define a given output. Thus, the same output could be given whether the input is "BAT" or "TAB."
Other types of systems are known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,986 for language translation wherein the input language is classified and converted into a time sequence of code symbols, but again this technique requires considerable manipulation of the input signals in accordance with a predetermined program. Translation of one computer language to another type of computer language is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,200,379 and 3,781,814. None of these patents, however, discloses a convenient and accurate way of converting an input language into a desired output language by means of electronic circuitry which can be embodied in a portable electronic device operable without complicated controls or constraint on the type of data which can be entered into the device.